Rico Dowdle Jaylen Warren Steelers run game
Rico Dowdle Jaylen Warren Steelers run game
A defense’s best friend is a productive run game. Chewing up clock and controlling possession gives the defense more time to rest, allowing it to be at full strength when it returns to the field.
The Steelers haven’t always gotten that luxury in recent years, but Cam Heyward believes that could change in 2026.
“I think we got a really good one-two punch, guys. I really do when it comes to the running game,” Heyward said via his Not Just Football podcast. “Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, I think, are gonna eat this year. They’re gonna provide a lot for our families. And when I say that, that means the run game’s gonna take off and your boy’s gonna be sitting on the sideline because they’re gonna [be] controlling that clock.”
The Steelers had the fourth-worst time of possession in 2025, averaging 28:22 per game. Considering the best was the Buffalo Bills’ 33:18, that’s a wide gap. Pittsburgh’s defense played 1,112 defensive snaps compared to Buffalo’s 950. To put that in context, the average game has about 62 defensive plays per team.
Pittsburgh’s defense played roughly 2.5 more games worth of snaps than Buffalo’s did last year. That’s 162 more opportunities for the other team to score and 162 more chances for players to get injured or wear down as the season went along.
The defense deserves its own share of the blame for not being able to get off the field on possession downs, but it was a compounding issue with the lack of an effective run game. And it’s been that way for years.
Now, the Steelers have Dowdle and his 1,373 scrimmage yards last season to pair with Warren and his 1,291 scrimmage yards. Pittsburgh can ride the hot hand, keep them both fresh and reap the rewards of an efficient run game.With a strong one-two punch at running back and a beefed-up offensive line, they may finally have what it takes to control the ball and give the defense a break.
Mike McCarthy’s goal is to have 55 combined completions and rushing attempts per game. If they come anywhere close to that, the Steelers’ defense should have plenty of opportunities to do what Heyward described: sit on the sideline, catch its breath and get ready to hunt with fresh legs when needed.